Neither Mike, my husband, nor I come from a close-knit family, but our daughter, Anna, has married into one.
Pasi, our son-in-law, was born in Finnish Karelia. We have spent two wonderful holidays with his supportive extended family, firstly, in a winter sports centre in Lapland for Anna's and Pasi's wedding, and, later, in a forest on a lake island in Karelia. We were there celebrating Anna's father-in-law's 60th birthday.
We were soon introduced to Karelian pie. It appears on the table with every meal and it's scrumptious. Pasi's Mum bakes it in large batches and we feel that, in appreciating it, we are showing gratitude for having been drawn into this loving, welcoming, warm family.
The oldest family member is Grandmother, a very special lady in her nineties. Sadly, we don't speak Finnish and neither she nor Pasi's parents speak English, but warmth and love flow freely between us.
Filling: (cook the same way with your recipe)
2 dl uncooked rice
3 dl water
7 dl milk
salt
Crust: (make them the same way with your recipe)
1,25 dl water
0,75 tbs oil
0,75 ts salt
2 dl rye flour
1 dl wheat flour
Bake at 300 degrees Celsius for 10-15 minutes. Brush with melted butter only after baking.
Eggbutter: (mix these)
50g butter
1 boiled egg
salt
Makes 24 pies
Instructions
Boil the water for the filling in a saucepan. Add rice.
Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the milk, and continue cooking until the milk is completely absorbed and the rice is soft and creamy.
Season with salt.
Preheat oven to 500degreesF/260C/Gas Mark10.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To make the crust, combine the water, salt, and rye and wheat flours in a medium-sized bowl to make a stiff dough.
Shape the dough into a log and cut into 24 pieces. Shape each piece into a round.
Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling evenly on each round.
Fold two opposite edges of the pastry over the filling and crimp the edges of the dough toward the centre to make an oval-shape, allowing about 1/2-inch of the crust to overlay the filling.
On a lightly floured board, roll out each round into a 6-inch circle filling and leaving the centre of the filling exposed.
Place on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pastries are golden on the edges.
Remove from the oven and brush over with oil.
To make the egg butter, cream the butter in a small bowl. Mash the egg and add to the butter. Season to taste and mix well.
Cool the pies and serve with the egg butter.